"I have been able to connect with individuals from various backgrounds and disciplines as a direct result of information learned during my time at Duke as well as because of the way I have learned to engage with people."

FariNzinga, Ph.D., received her degree from the Graduate Program in Cultural Anthropology in 2013. Named a 2014 ACLS Public Fellow, she is currently the Public Policy Officer at the New Orleans Museum of Art, which is the largest museum of its kind in the Gulf South.

All requested supporting documentation should be uploaded electronically via the online application. An official hard copy of your transcript will only be requested after admission. We strongly encourage you to apply by December 1 and no later than December 8. If you apply later, there may not be time for all your supporting documents (transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) to arrive by the time our departmental reviews begin in early January. An incomplete file may affect your consideration. All supporting documents must be electronically submitted along with your application to the Duke Graduate School. They should not be submitted directly to the department.

The statement of purpose is an especially important part of the application as it gives applicants a chance to describe their research interests. There is no single way to write a good statement of purpose, but click for some sample statements of purpose from successful recent applicants.

At the beginning of their statement of purpose in the application, all applicants must also list three keywords best describing their research interests and geographical area of study (for example: Mass Media, Indigenous Rights, Latin America).

Applicants must upload a roughly 10-20 page sample of relatively recent written work electronically via the online application or to grad-admissions-center@duke.edu by December 8.

December 8: Departmental deadline for submission of Ph.D. applications for admission and award for the fall semester.

For questions regarding admissions materials or processes, in lieu of phone calls to the department of Cultural Anthropology, please contact:

To enroll in the Certificate Program, you must also be enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Duke University. Once you have gained entrance into a Ph.D. program, you must obtain a mentor from the affiliated faculty for the Certificate Program.